Perry asks court to dismiss indictment

AUSTIN - Attorneys for Texas Gov. Rick Perry are asking a judge to dismiss criminal charges alleging that the possible 2016 presidential candidate abused his power with a veto last summer.

Perry's attorneys filed the motion Monday in district court in Austin. They say the law being used to prosecute Perry is unconstitutionally vague.

Perry is accused of leveraging his veto power to try to oust a Democratic district attorney whose office oversees the state's Public Integrity Unit. Perry cut off $7.5 million in state funds to the unit - which prosecutes public corruption in Texas - when Rosemary Lehmberg refused to resign following a drunken driving arrest.

He's charged with abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public servant. If convicted, Perry could face a maximum 109 years in prison.

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